Chapter 132: Chapter 85: Rescue operation (1)
When I opened my eyes, I was back in the present again, on my bed in the inn. I stood up, sat on the edge of the bed, then rubbed my face with both hands.
I managed to get some rest even though I hadn’t technically slept. Still, my mind felt much clearer now. I needed that. Tomorrow morning, we’re supposed to move to rescue Adam’s lover.
The only problem is that this whole thing is likely part of a scenario arranged by that Controller. From what I remember, Adam’s lover told him those feelings weren’t truly his, but I’m certain they’re genuine emotions coming from him.
So, there are several points I need to focus on. First, we have to rescue her. Then I need to make sure Adam survives. After that, I have to ensure our escape. All of that needs to be done with as little noise as possible.
It would be best if I could carry out the operation and escape without any fighting. But from what the original Jevan wrote in his notebook about the bearers of the Controller Authority, I doubt that will happen, unfortunately.
First, I need to prepare and test the tools I have. I walked over to the chair beside my bed, took off my coat, and hung it there after pulling out the leather notebook and the pen I’d gotten yesterday... or at least, I think it was yesterday.
I started looking for any information about this item but couldn’t find anything specific. In the end, I found a section talking about the Undead Authority.
"The bearer of this Authority, in its early stages, becomes less affected by injuries. Even if stabbed, they can continue fighting for a while, but there’s a certain limit to the damage they can endure. The more the assimilator understands the Authority, the closer their body becomes to a corpse."
"The bearer of this Authority gains inhuman agility, feels less fatigue, and their physical abilities increase. They also gain an enhanced ability to communicate with spirits, close to that of a Spirit Whisperer. In addition, they can control corpses by drawing a specific tattoo on them, but it must be done with their consent."
"After forming a contract with a living person and obtaining their soul through the tattoo, when they die or even while alive you can turn them into an undead and control them. To control multiple undead, you must make sure they all have the same tattoo and have agreed to it. You can also reanimate those who didn’t agree before death, but only for a limited time. The duration varies depending on your level of assimilation with the Authority. If you inherited it, it will also depend on your talent."
"This Authority spreads among the tribes near the Witch Forest, as well as in the Lower District among the Skull Gang, and on the continent of Darkanth, in the northern part of the Great Desert. If you ever face a bearer of this Authority, you can use fire against them they’re extremely weak to it. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with them."
I closed the notebook and put it back into the coat pocket hanging on the chair. Fortunately, this time that bastard Jevan hadn’t left any sarcastic comment between the lines. That alone made me guess that bearers of this Authority aren’t all that dangerous.
Still, one small detail bothered me while reading. Bearers of this Authority gradually have their bodies turn into corpses, to the point where stab wounds don’t affect them.
As for that man in the factory... did I really kill him? Or is he still alive? Honestly, I don’t think he’s a true bearer of this Authority. He was probably just using a system piece carrying it. That piece, most likely, is this pen.
I lifted the pen between my fingers. From what I could infer from the factory owner or rather, the thief who stole the factory from the old man this pen’s negative effect gradually turns its user into a corpse.
I put the pen back in my pocket while muttering:
"Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be using it. I’m not exactly fond of turning people into undead. Maybe it’ll come in handy later when I deal with the Skull Gang, but not now."
I put my coat back on, masked my face, and left the inn. The sun was at its peak, floating among the clouds. I headed toward the shop where Adam was currently staying. I only wanted to get the details about that woman nothing more.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw him jumping off the table excitedly.
"Are we moving now?!"
I replied:
"We’re moving tomorrow. I only came to learn the exact location where our target is being held."
Disappointment was clear on his face. Still, he sat down and told me all the details I needed.
His lover was being held in the Ninth District, at the heart of Claw territory. The prison there was guarded by a user of an Authority... he didn’t say "Authority," but he described it as someone using a supernatural power specifically, an arm capable of releasing fog.
I left the shop after getting every piece of information I needed. He even gave me a map.
***
At night, in front of the factory in the Seventeenth District.
A tall man stood there, his long black hair reaching the middle of his back. His skin was pale, almost bloodless, and the pupils of his eyes were completely white yet he could see everything with perfect clarity. He wore a wide brimmed black hat, a long black coat that brushed the ground, and black leather gloves covering his hands.
He stepped toward the factory gate, peering inside before entering. Inside, corpses were scattered all over the place. Playing cards were embedded in their chests, necks, and across the floor around them.
The man stopped in the middle of the hall, raised his right hand, and black mist began to rise from the skull tattoos on the corpses’ bodies. The fog spread to every corner of the place until the corpses started rising from the ground.
He spoke in a deep voice:
"What happened here?"
All the corpses answered in a hollow, overlapping tone:
"A masked man stormed in and killed us using a strange set of playing cards."
A moment later, the black mist vanished, and the corpses dissolved with it. Everything disappeared, leaving only the man standing there.
He picked up one of the playing cards, looked at it, and said quietly:
"We will meet again, my little friend."